Edward holmes



' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1921.

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E. HOLMES.

DECKING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES.

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IN V EN TOR. DWARD HOLMES.

. HOLMES.

DECKING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES.

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IN VEN TOR. EDWARD HOLMES- Q\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ f BY 1 A A TTORNEYS.

E. HOLMES.

DECKING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-7,192!- INVENI OR ARD HoLMEs Patented July 4, 1922.

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:J Euw ATTORNEYS.

Ui l'i n OFFICE.

EDWARD HOLMES, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR- TO THE WILLYS-OVERLAND COMPANY,

OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DECKIN'G APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed February 7, 1921.

To all 107mm 2'1 may comem:

Be it known that I. linwano IIOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at T0- ledo, in the count of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Decking Apparatus for Vehicles, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in decking apparatus for vehicles, and is more particularly directed to a new and improved form of supporting and retaining means for vehicles, such as automobiles, or the like, when the vehicles are being shipped.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a decking apparatus of this character which is capable of supporting an automobile superimposed over another in a fixed position.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a new and i1111 )l'0\'6l decking apparatus of such a collapsible character that the eree tion or assembly of the deck for or its dismantlement when not in use, may be readily accomplished so that it may be quickly erected and, when lismantled, stored in a small space.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a new and improved automobile loading device which partakes of the character of a sectional decking system in which a series of co-operating sections are spaced apart and adapted to support automobiles in tixed positions. one above another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved decking apparatus in which the parts are so coordinated and connected that by the removal of certain parts the remaining portions may be folded together as units.

A still further object of the invention is to construct decking apparatus so that the parts are arranged and adapted to resist and absorb more readily the strain and jars to which they are subject in transit.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved decking apparatus constructed to support both upper and lower tiers of automobiles.

Another'object of the invention is to provide a new and improved decking apparatus having fewer parts than the decking apparatuses which have heretofore been used.

A further object of the invention relates Specification of Letters Patent.

tomobiles rest.

Patented July I, 1922.

Serial No. 443,312.

to the economies of manufacture and details of constrmtion which will hereinafter appear from the detailed description to follow.

The objects of the invention are accomplished in one instance by the devices and means described in the following speciliczv tion, but it is evident that the same may be varied widely without depaiting from th; scope of the invention as pointed out in thl appended claims.

A structure constituting one embodiment of the invention which-may be the preferred, is. illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in which: A I

Figure I is a longitudinal view showing automobiles supported on my improved deck ing apparatus. the side of the box car being broken away to disclose the interior of the car.

Figure II is an enlarged transverse section on the line IIII of Figure I.

Figure III is a fragmentary top plan view of the metal deck showing. the manner in which the axles of a vehicle are secured to the deck.

Figure IV is a sectional view in detail along the line IV-IV of Figure III, showing my improved fastening means for the axles of automobiles.

Figure V is a fragmentary View in pcr- .s mtive of a section of the metal deck.

Figure VI is an end view of the section of the assembled deck.

Figure VII is a side elevation of an end supporting frame of the deck with the cross frames removed and illustrating the first step in the process of dismantling or erection.

Figure VIII is a side view in detail showing another step in the process of dismantling a section of the deck and the manner in which the end frames are folded up.

Figure IX is a side view of an end frame folded. up.

It has been the common practice heretofore to support an automobile in a freight car for shipment by standards co-acting with the hubs of the wheels or by frames having some means upon which the tires of the au- Serious difiiculties are encountered when the' automobiles are sup ported by the hubs or tires and to avoid such difiiculties, I propose to carry the weight of the automobiles by supporting and securely fastening the axles on the cross frames of the decks.

One of the essential features of the invention is the knockdowncharacter of the apparatus. Heretofore decking apparatuses have been discarded after being used once, either because of mutilation or destruction in usage, or by removal from the freight car or because of their bulky weight, and it was cheaper to scrap the devicesrather-than send them back to the factory from which the inthis condition beingshi-pped back to the factory at a low cost and without damage. With such a construction, the life of the apparatus will be prolonged indefinitely.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates the floor of the freight car, 2 the sides, 3 the top, and 4:, the-belt rail.

Each .end member comprises intersecting standards 5 and vGsupported attheir lower ends on a horizontal base member 7, and carrying at their upperends across piece 6. The base member, resting on the car floor 1, is of angle iron construction and has secured at the outer ends of a vertical flange 9, gusset plates 10 and 11 respectively, by means of rivets :12. The lower ends of the standards 5 and 6 are connected to the respective gusset plates 10 and 11 by bolts 13. At the point of intersection, when in erected position, the standards are reinforced by a plate 14, the standards and plate being secured together by bolts 15.

On the upper ends of the standards are fastened gusset plates :16 and 17 by bolts 1c, the upper cross piece 8 being connected to the gussets 16 and 17 by rivets 19.

Each cross frame comprises two angle iron beams 20 and 21 extending transversely .of the deck and braced by channel frames 22 which are securely connected to the beams by the gusset plates =24-and 25, by means of boltsor rivets 26. Intermediate the ends of the channel members-'22 are placed blocks ,27 upon which the axles of the automobiles are held in position :by 'U-bQlts 28 inserted through perforations inthe block and channel members and locked in position by the nuts 29 as shown in Figure II.

The cuter ends of the .upper transverse beams 20 and 21 are reinforced by gussets tion.

30 and 31 respectively, being secured thereto by rivets 32. Bolts 33 fasten the gus'sets 30 and 31 to the cross pieces 8. The lower transverse beams 20 and 21 are riveted to angular gussets 3.4: and 35, which are secured to the standards 5 and 6 respectively by cate of the above construction just described.

To prevent shifting of the sections of the decking apparatus, the foot plates 7 of the sections of the deck are secured to the floor in any suitable manner, as by bolts, and the upper portions of the sections are secured to the side walls of the freight car by means ofibraces 37 riveted to the upper transverse beams 20and '21.

As shown in Figure I. pairs of co-operatving sections are spaced apart to support upper and lower vehicles. Cross tie rods 88 connect the sections together to form pairs by joining the upper portions of the end members of one section with the adjacent portions of the base plates of the next. sec- The decks or pairs of sections are arranged in alignment with the foot plates of one deck abutting the foot plates of the next deck as shown in Figure I. With the decking system thus described, six vehicles are shown in Figure I, crated in a box car, thrce being superimposed above the others, while all six have their axles firmly secured .to the decks by means of the U-bolts 2S,.thus

permitting the wheels of the automobile to be suspended in the spaces between the various beams as shown in Figure III.

By reason of the diagonal disposition of the intersecting standards, any longitudinal strains due to jamming of the cars in transit will be transmitted directly on the upper ends of the standards 5 and 6 and be absorbed without injury to the standards. Furthermore, the channel members 22 not only act as a supporting means for the automobiles, but serve as braces for the upper and lower pairs of horizontal transverse beams 20 and 21, and likewise assist in preventing the legs of the standards 5 and 6 from spreadlng apart.

Having described the decking apparatus as erected, I will now proceed to detail the process of dismantling the same preparatory to returning it to the factory.

Referring to Figure I, the tie rods 38 and the U-bolts 28 having been removed from the sections of the middle deck, the upper automobile of this deck is jacked up by the usual means adapted for such purposes, so

that it is free' of the upper cross frames which are then removed by taking out the "bolts '33 and releasing the braces "37 from the belt rails of the car. The lower automobile is then jacked up and the bolts 36 which connect the gussets 34 and 35 to the diagonally disposed, standards 5 and 6 of the end supporting frames are removed when the lower cross frames are lifted out.

The bolts connecting the foot plates 7 of the end supporting frames nearest the door are removed and these end supporting members are lifted out of the way.

The lower automobile is then removed, followed by the removal of the upper. The inner end supporting members of the deck are released from. the floor and removed. The remaining automobiles are similarly removed.

To permit folding of the members comprising the end supporting frames as shown in Figure IX, all the bolts are removed at the connections between the upper ends of the standards 5 and 6, and the gusset plates 16 and 17, except one in the gusset 17 at the connections between the gusset plate 15 and the standards 5 and 6 except the center bolt, and also at the connections between the lower ends of the standards 5 and 6 and the gussets 10 and 11 except one in the gusset 11. The cross piece 8 may be lowered with the standards 5 and 6 folding upon each other the bolt 15 acting as a pivot for the standards, until the cross piece and standards lie upon and in parallel relation with the base member 7.

The several members comprising the cross frame may be unbolted and tied in bundles or the frames may be packed in the cars as units without any further dissociation of the parts.

The decking apparatus is erected and loaded with automobiles in the following manner:Two automobiles are placed in suspended position at each end of the freight car by any suitable means. The end supporting frames, after having been unfolded and the necessary bolts having been replaced to support the parts in erected position, are bolted to the floor of the freight car. The cross frames as units are placed in position and securely fixed to the end frames. The braces 37 are fastened to the belt rails and the tie rods 38 are placed in position be tween the inner ends of adjacent end supporting members. The automobiles are then let down on the cross frames to which the axles are securely fastened by the U-bolts 28.

The middle deck is erected and loaded with automobiles in a similar manner.

While I have shown and described in detail the specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this showing and description is illustrative only and for the purpose of rendering my invention more clear, and that I do not regard the invention as limited to the details of construction illustrated, or any of them, except in so far as I have included such limitations within the terms of the following claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelties inherent in my invention broadly as well as specifically.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of end supporting members, and transverse frame members connecting the end members together, the said end members comprising diagonally disposed standards crossing each other at a point intermediate their ends.

2. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of end supporting members, means connecting the end members together, the said end members comprising diagonally disposed standards crossing each other at a point intermediate their ends, and bracing means securing the standards together at their point of crossing.

3. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of end supporting members, transverse frame members con.-

ncct-ing the said end members together, the

end members comprising diagonally disposed standards crossing each other at a point intermediate their ends, and means on the transverse members for bracing the standards.

4. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of end suppo-rt ing members, upper and lower pairs of horizontal members connecting the end members together, and cross members connecting pairs of upper and lower horizontal members to get-her respectively for supporting the axles of automobiles.

In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of end supporting members, upper and lower pairs of horizontal members connecting the end members together, upper and lower pairs of horizontal members running transversely of and connecting the first mentioned pairs of members together, and means on the transverse members for securing the axles of automobiles thereon.

6. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of spaced end supporting members, upper and lower spaced members connecting the end members together, and cross members connecting the upper members together and also the lower spaced members together, the said cross members being spaced from the end members.

7. In. a decking system for automobiles or the like, a section of a deck comprising in combination, spaced end supporting members, transverse frame members, and removable means connecting the end members with the frame members in such a manner that the sections may be readily dismantled.

8. In a decking system for automobiles orthe like, the section of a deck conngrising .in combination spaced end supporting members, transverse frame members, removable means connecting the end members with the frame-members, the said end members com- ..prising diagonally disposed standards prohers comprising diagonally disposed members and upper and lower brace member and connecting means joining the parts to ,gether, certain of the said connecting means being readily removable for the purpose of folding up the section.

10. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, a section of a deck having end members'spaced apart, the said end members comprising diagonally disposed standards, means connecting the standards at a point intermediate their ends, upper and lower braces, and means connecting the braces to the upper and lower ends of the standards, certain ofthe said connecting means in both instances being readily removable in order that the end member may be folded up.

11. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, a section of a deck comprising in combination end members and transverse frame members connecting the said end members together, said end members being pivot-ally joined to permit folding the members together.

12. In a decking system for automobiles or the like. the combination of means for supporting automobiles, and means foldably connected together for supporting the first mentioned means.

13. In a decking system for automobiles .or the like, the combination of folding standards, horizontal members supported by said standards, and means on said members for bracing the folding standards and for supporting automobiles.

14. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of foldable end supporting members provided with legs, horizontal transverse members connecting the end members together, and means connecting the horizontal transverse members together in pairs, the said connecting means serving as braces to prevent the legs of the folding end members from spreading apart.

15. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the section of a deck comprising in combination, pairs of diagonally disposed legs, means connecting the legs together at their point of crossing, transverse frame members, and means connecting the frame members to the upper and lower portions of pairs of legs, certain members of said connecting means in both instances being adapted to be removed to permit the legs to be folded upon themselves,

16. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, the combination of end supporting members and transverse frame members, each end supporting member comprising diagonally disposed standards pivoted upon each other at their point of intersection, an upper cross member, a base member, and removable means connecting the last two mentioned members to the adjacent ends of the diagonally disposed standards lying upon one side of the intersection of said standards, the upper cross members and the standards being adapted to be folded upon the base member.

17. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, a pair of spaced sections each adapted to support one end of an automobile and diagonally extending tie rods for connecting together and bracing said sections.

18. In a decking system for automobilesor the like, a pair of spaced sections each for supporting one end of each of a plurality of automobiles and tie rods connecting the upper portions of one section with the lower portions of the other section.

19. In a decking system for automobiles or the like, a section for supporting one axle of each of a pair of superposed automobiles, another section spaced therefrom for supporting the other axles .of said automobiles and tie rods extending from the upper portions of one section to the lower portions of the other section for bracing said sections.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

EDIVARD HOLMES. 

